Collapsible speaker extension

ABSTRACT

A collapsible extension for an acoustical speaker including a substantially planar top and a pair of opposed sides hingedly connected to opposite edge margins of the top. Each of the sides comprises at least a pair of panels hingedly interconnected at a pair of their adjacent edges. Each side is adapted to be collapsed by folding one panel back against the other and swinging the panels into a position adjacent and parallel to the top. In operation, the side panels are swung outwardly into planes extending in a common direction away from the top. Bracing members interposed between opposite sides are operable to maintain a preselected distance between the sides. Tension members, such as screw rods, interconnect the opposed sides and are operable to urge them toward each other, both to clamp the sides against opposite side margins of a speaker, and further to tighten the side margins against the bracing members to rigidify the structure.

Carruthers COLLAPSIBLE SPEAKER EXTENSION Inventor: James A. Carruthers,PO. Box 40,

Warrenton, Oreg. 97146 Filed: Apr. l9, 1974 Appl. N0.: 462,373

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1904 Mitchell 181/178 1/1917Hooey 181/178 12/1932 Bidwell et al. 181/152 8/1933 Coumbopoulos 181/178Primary ExaminerStephen J. Tomsky Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kolisch,Hartwell, Dickinson & Stuart Feb. 18, 1 975 [57] ABSTRACT A collapsibleextension for an acoustical speaker including a substantially planar topand a pair of opposed sides hingedly connected to opposite edge marginsof the top. Each of the sides comprises at least a pair of panelshingedly interconnected at a pair of their adjacent edges. Each side isadapted to be collapsed by folding one panel back against the other andswinging the panels into a position adjacent and parallel to the top. Inoperation, the side panels are swung outwardly into planes extending ina common direction away from the top. Bracing members interposed betweenopposite sides are operable to maintain a preselected distance betweenthe sides. Tension members, such as screw rods, interconnect the opposedsides and are operable to urge them toward each other, both to clamp thesides against opposite side margins of a speaker, and further to tightenthe side margins against the bracing members to rigidify the structure.

14 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 1 COLLAPSIBLE SPEAKER EXTENSION Thisinvention relates to a collapsible extension for an acoustical speaker.

Conventional acoustical speaker enclosures when used allow a large partof the sound wave front exiting from the enclosure to bend around thesides of the enclosure resulting in the destruction of much of the wavefront. Only a relatively small portion of the original wave front,particularly in the lower range, thus is effectively propagated freelyaway from the enclosure.

It has been discovered that the performance of acoustical speakershoused in enclosures may be improved by the addition thereto ofextensions having walls which diverge on progressing outwardly from thefront of the speaker. Various extensions have been devised in the past,however, such generally have been rather cumbersome to handle and thushave not been acceptable to the industry because they are not easilypacked and carried from place to place. Such packing and carrying oftenis required by musical, or other, groups who travel between engagementsin different locales.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a novelextension for an acoustical speaker which controls the propagationofsound wave fronts leaving the enclosure whereby the wave front when itleaves the extension is considerably larger than when it left theenclosure and thus breaks up less providing a larger portion topropagate freely into the atmosphere.

Another object is to provide such an extension for an acousticalspeaker'which, when in operative condition,- is large enough to surroundthe front of a speaker enclosure, yet which may be collapsed to acompact storage condition without having to be broken into severaldifferent parts.

More specifically, an object is to provide such an extension for anacoustical speaker in which a pair of opposed sides are hingedlyconnected to a planar top and the sides are swingable between operativepositions extending outwardly in a common direction from the top andstored positions folded closely adjacent a planar surface of the top.

A still further object is to provide such an extension for an acousticalspeaker wherein a side includes a plurality of side panels hingedlyconnected to each other which may be folded over against each other foryet more compact storage of the assembly.

Yet another object is to provide an extension for an acoustical speakerwhich includes substantially rigid spacer members extending betweenopposed sides of the extension, and tensioning memembers interconnectingopposite sides and operable to draw the two sides tightly togetheragainst the spacer members thus to provide additional rigidity in thestructure and further to provide clamping of the sidesof the extensionagainst the sides of the speaker enclosure with which it is to be used.

Another object is to provide a relatively inexpensive self-containedhorn-type extension, or projector, for an acoustical speaker which willreadily fit on the front of an existing speaker cabinet to providenoticeable increase in sound output and projection and improvement intonal quality, yet which, when not in use, can be folded down into arelatively compact package for carrying and storage. No tools arerequired for installation and no modifications of existing speakerrequired.

DRAWINGS These and other objects and advantages will become more fullyapparent when the following description is read in conjunction with thedrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an extension constructed according to anembodiment of the invention secured to the front of a speaker enclosure;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the line 22 inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the extension removed from aspeaker;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are illustrations of sequential steps in folding theextension for storage or carrying; and

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the extension taken along the line 6-6 inFIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring to thedrawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, at 10 is indicatedgenerally a speaker enclosure having opposed upright sidewalls I2, 14, atop 16, a rear wall 18, and a front wall 20. Front wall 20 may mount aforwardly facing speaker 22. An opening, such as that indicatedgenerally at 24 in FIG. 2, is provided in front wall 20 through whichsound waves may emanate from speaker 22. Conventional grill cloth 26 maybe secured over front wall 20 and opening 24 for decorative effect. Theextension of the invention also may be used on speaker enclosureswherein the speaker faces rearwardly in the enclosure and the enclosureacts as a progressively expanding dual horn (also known as a folded Wtype horn) for projecting sound emanating from the speaker through thefront of the speaker.

At 30 is indicated generally an extension constructed according to anembodiment of the invention. The extension includes a substantially,planar, rigid top member 32 having opposed side edge margins indicatedgenerally at 32a, 32b, a front edge margin indicated generally at 32cand a rear edge margin indicated at 32d. As is seen in FIG. 6, side edgemargins 32a, 32b diverge on progressing from rear edge margin 32d towardfront edge margin 320. The rear edge 32d has a length which is slightlygreater than the side-to-side dimension of speaker enclosure 10.

A side 36 is pivotally connected to top 32 by a pair of hinges 38. Side36 comprises a pair of substantially rigid, planar side panels, orsections, 40, 42. As is best seen in FIG. 1, side panel 40 hassubstantially parallel front and rear marginal edges and a lowermarginal edge which extends substantially normal to its front and rearedges. The top edge margin of panel 40, however, is inclined anddiverges away from the lower edge margin of the panel as it progressesfrom the rear edge of panel 40 to its forward edge. The maximum length,or height, of panel 40 is less than the side-to-side dimension of topmember 32.

Lower side panel 42 is substantially rectangular and is hingedlyconnected at its upper edge to the lower edge margin of panel 40 byhinges, such as hinge 43 seen in FIGS. 2-5. The hinge connection betweenpanel 40 and top 32 is such that side 36 may be folded upwardly andinwardly toward the underside of top member 32 with the inner face ofpanel 40 fitting substantially flush against the underside 'of topmember 32. Panel 42 is hingedly connected to the lower edge of panel 40in such a manner that it may be folded back against the planar side ofpanel 40 facing away from top member 32.

Secured to the underside of side margin 32a of top member 32 is anelongate, rigid, spacer 50 which projects substantially normallyoutwardly from the underside of top member 32. The height of member 50,from its top edge margin which joins to top member 32 to its lower edgemargin, is substantially equal to, or slightly greater than, thecombined thicknesses of panels 40, 42.

Another side for the extension, indicated generally at 52 is hingedlyconnected to spacer 50 by hinges 56. Side 52 includes a pair ofsubstantially rigid planar panels, or sections, 58, 60. panel 58 hasopposed, upright, substantially parallel forward and rear edges, and alower edge which extends substantially normally between its forward andrear edges. The upper edge of panel 58 inclines upwardly, and thusdiverges, from its lower margin as it progresses from its rear towardits forward edge. The total height of panel 58 is somewhat less than thetotal height of panel 40 spaced opposite it in the structure. Panel 60is substantially rectangular and has substantially the same dimensionsas its opposite panel 42 in the structure.

The rear marginal edge of side 36, and the total height of the rearmarginal edges of side 52 and spacer 50, each are substantially equal-tothe height of speaker enclosure 10.

As is best seen in FIG. 1, panel 60 is hingedly connected adjacent itsupper edge byhinges 61 to the lower edge of panel 58. The hingeconnection between panel 58 and spacer 50 permits side 52 to be swungupwardly and inwardly toward the underside of top member 32. The hingeconnection between panels 58, 60 permits panel 60 to be swung outwardlyand against the outer side of panel 58. v

Strips of sponge rubber, or other suitable elastomeric material,indicated generally at 64 in FIGS. 3 and 4, are secured to the rear,inwardly facing edge margins of top member 32 and sides 36, 52 andbottom edge margins of panels 42, 60 to provide an airtight seal betweenthe speaker extension and the existing speaker and between the speakerextension and the floor. Strips of firmer rubber 65, or other suitableelastomeric mate rial, (see FIGS. 4 and are secured to the upper andlower edges of side panels 40, 58 to provide substantially airtightseals between adjacent sections in the structure and to providecompresive stress in the hinge joints to prevent rattles when in theoperative positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

Referring to FIG. 3, it will be seen that panels 410, 42, 5 8, 60 havedepressions 66 formed on their inner surfaces adjacent their forwardmarginal edges. Elongate rigid bracing rods, or spacers,'68 havingrounded ends are adapted to extend between and seat within opposeddepressions in the panels when the extension is set up in its operativecondition as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Panels 40, 42, 58, 60 also have bores 70 extending therethrough atintermediate regions-of the panels. As is seen in FIG. 2, a plate-likenut 72 having a threaded bore extending therethrough is secured to theouter side of each of panels 40, 42 with the bore in nut 72 aligned witha bore 70 in its associated panel.

An elongate crank rod 74, also referred to herein as a tensioning means,extends through aligned bores in opposed panels 40, 58 and another crankrod 76 extends through aligned bores 70 in panels 42, 60, and thethreaded ends of these rods are screwed into nuts 72. Turning of therods 74, 76 acts to urge the sides of the speaker toward each other toclamp them against opposite ends of spacers 68.

I Explaining the operation of the extension, and referring specificallyto FIGS. 1 and 3, sides 36, 52 are swung to their operative positionsextended outwardly from top member 32 and they are positioned with theirrear marginal edges on opposite sides of the front of speaker enclosure12. with, for example, an overlap of 2-3 inches between the extensionand the enclosure where the speaker enclosure has generally height,width and depth dimensions in the neighborhood of 48", 24", and 22",respectively. The edge margin of top member 32 rests on the top of theupper edge of enclosure 10. Spacer members 68 are placed in depressions66 on the inner faces of the side panels. Crank rods 74, 76 are insertedthrough bores 70 in the side panels and are screwed into nuts 72 to urgethe side panels toward each other. As the side panels are urged towardeach other, the inner surfaces of the rear margins of the side panelsare clamped tightly against opposite sides of the speaker enclosure. Asthe crank rods are tightened, the top member also is pressed against thetop of the enclosure to provide a tight fit therebetween. Thespongerubber strips 64 provide a substantially airtight connectionbetween the speaker extension and the enclosure and between the speakerextension and the floor. Turning of crank handles 74, 76 also draws theside panels tight against spacers 68 to add further rigidity to theextension and also stresses the individual side panels for additionalstiffness and helps prevent rattles occurring at the hinge joints. Thefirm rubber strips at the hinge joints in the structure aid in thetensing of the extension structure to prevent rattles as well as providemore airtight seals between the joints.

With the speaker enclosure and extension resting on a floor, or othersupportive surface, 80 a projector horn surrounding the face of thespeaker enclosure is formed.

Thus, in its operative position, the extension provides a substantiallyrigid, horn-type projector for improving the sound output, projection,and tonal quality of the speaker. It also improves loudspeaker loadingto reduce distortion of tone and prolong speaker life.

To fold the extension for storage or carrying, crank rods 74, 76 areunscrewed and removed,-spacers 68 are removed, and thereafter theextension may be folded as illustrated in the sequential steps of FIGS.3, 4 and 5. Explaining further, and referring to FIG. 4, after removalof rods 74, 76 and spacers 68, panels 42, 60 are folded back against theouter surfaces of panels 40, 58, respectively. Panels 40, 42 then areswung together upwardly and inwardly against the underside of panel 32as seen in FIG. 5. Panels 58, 60 are swung together upwardly andinwardly against the underside of panel 42, as shown in FIG. 5.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described herein,it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations andmodifications are possible without departing from the spirit of theinvent1on.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A collapsible extension for an acoustical speaker comprising asubstantially planar top member having opposed marginal edge portions, afirst side pivotally connected to one of said edge portions and a secondside pivotally connected to the opposite edge portion of said topmember, said first and second sides being swingable toward and way fromeach other between operative positions disposed at substantial anglesrelative to said top member and extending outwardly in a commondirection from the top member and closed positions disposedsubstantially parallel to and adjacent said top member, substantiallyrigid spacer means insertable between said sides when said sides are intheir operative positions, operable to inhibit swinging of said sidestoward each other to maintain a preselected spacing therebetween, anddetachable tension means interconnecting said sides operable to drawsaid sides toward each other and hold them against said spacer means.

2. The extension of claim 1, wherein a side includes a plurality ofsubstantially planar, adjacent side sections hingedly interconnectedalong an adjacent set of edge margins thereof permitting said sectionsto swing relative to each other between an operative position extendingoutwardly in opposite directions from said hinge connection therebetweento lie in a substantially common plane, and a storage position foldedback against each other.

3. The extension of claim 2, wherein one of said sections is hingedlyconnected to said top member along an edge of said section opposite itsedge which is hingedly connected to said other section.

4. The extension of claim 1, wherein said opposed sides and said spacermeans include means thereon for securing said spacer means againstremoval when said tension means is operative to hold said sides againstsaid spacer means.

5. The extension of claim 3, wherein said sectionalized side when swungto its stored position is disposed contiguous a planar surface of saidtop member and the other of said sides is hingedly connected in a regionspaced from said top member a distance substantially equal to thecombined thickness of said plurality of sections of the sectionalizedside when folded together, whereby when the extension is collapsed saidsectionalized side is stored intermediate said top member and said otherside, with said top member and other side disposed substantiallyparallel.

6. The extension of claim 1, wherein said opposed edge margins of thetop member diverge on progressing in one direction and said sides whenin their operative positions diverge from each other on progressing insaid one direction.

7. The extension of claim 1, for use with a speaker having a certainheight and width, the distance between said sides of the extension attheir most closely spaced edges when in their operative positions beingsubstantially equal to the width of the speaker and the height of saidsides along said edges being substantially equal to the height of saidspeaker, whereby the extension may receive a forward portion of saidspeaker between said sides, with operation of said tension means beingoperable to clamp the extension onto said speaker.

8. The extension of claim 1, which further comprises elongate,elastomeric strips are interposed between edge margins of said sides andsaid top member when said sides are in their operative position.

9. The extension of claim 2, which further comprises an elongate,elastomeric strip interposed between contiguous edge margins of saidside sections when in their operative position.

10. A collapsible extension for an acoustical speaker having opposedside margins and a top margin framing the front of the speaker, saidextension comprising a substantially planar top member,

a pair of opposed sides pivotally connected to said top member adjacentopposite edges thereof for swinging toward and away from each otherbetween operative positions disposed at substantial angles relative tosaid top member and extending outwardly in a common direction from thetop member and closed positions disposed substantially parallel to andadjacent said top member, said sides, when in their operative positions,having rear edge margins which are spaced apart a distance substantiallyequal to the width of opposed side margins of the speaker,

detachable spacer means extending between said opposed sides adjacentthe front edge margins of the sides to inhibit swinging of said sidestoward each other and to maintain a preselected spacing therebetweenwhen said sides are in their operative positions, and

detachable tension means interconnecting said sides adjacent their rearedge margins for drawing said sides toward each other and clamping themagainst opposite side margins of the speaker.

11. The extension of claim 10, wherein said tension means comprises ascrew device connected adjacent one of its ends to one of said sides,and connected adjacent its opposite end to the other of said sides,which screw device is operable upon turning in one direction to urgesaid sides toward each other.

12. The speaker of claim 10, wherein said sides are connected to saidtop member in such a manner that they diverge relative to each other onprogressing from their rear edge margins toward their front edgemargins.

13. The extension of claim 10, wherein said top member is connected tosaid sides in such a manner that when said extension is secured to aspeaker the top inclines upwardly on progressing forwardly and away fromthe speaker.

14. A collapsible extension for an acoustical speaker having laterallyspaced, substantially parallel side margins, said extension comprising apair of opposed, substantially planar side panels having laterallyspaced rear edge margins adapted to engage said opposed side margins ofthe speaker with remainder portions of said side panels projectingoutwardly in a substantially common direction from said speaker,detachable spacer means extending between said opposed side panelsadjacent their front set of edge margins operable to prevent movement ofsaid front edge margins of the side panels toward each other beyond apreselected lateral spacing to maintain such a preselected spacingbetween said sides, and detachable tension means interconnecting saidside panels intermediate their front and rear edge margins for urgingsaid side panels toward each other to clamp their rear edge marginsagainst opposite side margins of the speaker.

1. A collapsible extension for an acoustical speaker comprising asubstantially planar top member having opposed marginal edge portions, afirst side pivotally connected to one of said edge portions and a secondside pivotally connected to the opposite edge portion of said topmember, said first and second sides being swingable toward and way fromeach other between operative positions disposed at substantial anglesrelative to said top member and extending outwardly in a commondirection from the top member and closed positions disposedsubstantially parallel to and adjacent said top member, substantiallyrigid spacer means insertable between said sides when said sides are intheir operative positions, operable to inhibit swinging of said sidestoward each other to maintain a preselected spacing therebetween, anddetachable tension means interconnecting said sides operable to drawsaid sides toward each other and hold them against said spacer means. 2.The extension of claim 1, wherein a side includes a plurality ofsubstantially planar, adjacent side sections hingedly interconnectedalong an adjacent set of edge margins thereof permitting said sectionsto swing relative to each other between an operative position extendingoutwardly in opposite directions from said hinge connection therebetweento lie in a substantially common plane, and a storage position foldedback against each other.
 3. The extension of claim 2, wherein one ofsaid sections is hingedly connected to said top member along an edge ofsaid section opposite its edge which is hingedly connected to said othersection.
 4. The extension of claim 1, wherein said opposed sides andsaid spacer means include means thereon for securing said spacer meansagainst removal when said tension means is operative to hold said sidesagainst said spacer means.
 5. The extension of claim 3, wherein saidsectionalized side when swung to its stored position is disposedcontiguous a planar surface of said top member and the other of saidsides is hingedly connected in a region spaced from said top member adistance substantially equal to the combined thickness of said pluralityof sections of the sectionalized side when folded together, whereby whenthe extension is collapsed said sectionalized side is storedintermediate said top member and said other side, with said top memberand other side disposed substantially parallel.
 6. The extension ofclaim 1, wherein said opposed edge margins of the top member diverge onprogressing in one direction and said sides when in their operativepositions diverge from each other on progressing in said one direction.7. The extension of claim 1, for use with a speaker having a certainheight and width, the distance between said sides of the extension attheir most closely spaced edges when in their operative positions beingsubstantially equal to the width of the speaker and the height of saidsides along said edges being substantially equal to the height of saidspeaker, whereby the extension may receive a forward portion of saidspeaker between said sides, with operation of said tension means beingoperable to clamp the extension onto said speaker.
 8. The extension ofclaim 1, which further comprises elongate, elastomeric strips areinterposed between edge margins of said sides and said top member whensaid sides are in their operative position.
 9. The extension of claim 2,which further comprises an elongate, elastomeric strip interposedbetween contiguous edge margins of said side sections when in theiroperative position.
 10. A collapsible extension for an acousticalspeaker having opposed side margins and a top margin framing the frontof the speaker, said extension comprising a substantially planar topmember, a pair of opposed sides pivotally connected to said top memberadjacent opposite edges thereof for swinging toward and away from eachother between operative positions disposed at substantial anglesrelative to said top member and extending outwardly in a commondirection from the top member and closed positions disposedsubstantially parallel to and adjacent said top member, said sides, whenin their operative positions, having rear edge margins which are spacedapart a distance substantially equal to the width of opposed sidemargins of the speaker, detachable spacer means extending between saidopposed sides adjacent the front edge margins of the sides to inhibitswinging of said sides toward each other and to maintain a preselectedspacing therebetween when said sides are in their operative positions,and detachable tension means interconnecting said sides adjacent theirrear edge margins for drawing said sides toward each other and clampingthem against opposite side margins of the speaker.
 11. The extension ofclaim 10, wherein said tension means comprises a screw device connectedadjacent one of its ends to one of said sides, and connected adjacentits opposite end to the other of said sides, which screw device isoperable upon turning in one direction to urge said sides toward eachother.
 12. The speaker of claim 10, wherEin said sides are connected tosaid top member in such a manner that they diverge relative to eachother on progressing from their rear edge margins toward their frontedge margins.
 13. The extension of claim 10, wherein said top member isconnected to said sides in such a manner that when said extension issecured to a speaker the top inclines upwardly on progressing forwardlyand away from the speaker.
 14. A collapsible extension for an acousticalspeaker having laterally spaced, substantially parallel side margins,said extension comprising a pair of opposed, substantially planar sidepanels having laterally spaced rear edge margins adapted to engage saidopposed side margins of the speaker with remainder portions of said sidepanels projecting outwardly in a substantially common direction fromsaid speaker, detachable spacer means extending between said opposedside panels adjacent their front set of edge margins operable to preventmovement of said front edge margins of the side panels toward each otherbeyond a preselected lateral spacing to maintain such a preselectedspacing between said sides, and detachable tension means interconnectingsaid side panels intermediate their front and rear edge margins forurging said side panels toward each other to clamp their rear edgemargins against opposite side margins of the speaker.